Challengers drop three in a row with 8-4 loss to Cards

In a rematch of last season's Playoff Finals, the Bern Cardinals again kept the upper-hand in an 8-4 victory.

The Cardinals lost the lead only briefly in the bottom of the third inning, as Tobias Siegrist's RBI-single and an error by right fielder Tobias Imboden led to two runs off starter Christoph Beyeler.

Challenger starter Thomas Burger kept the Cards' bats in check through the first three innings, allowing only a single unearned run in the first frame.

The Challengers' inability to get the outs turned into three more unearned runs in the top of the fourth. Burger started the inning by striking out big papi Jhonny Perigos, but catcher Siegrist couldn't hold on to the ball, letting Perigos reach first safely. He went on to score as Siegrist made a bad throw to third in an attempt to force him out on Imboden's fielder's choice.

A single by Beyeler and a misplay thereof by left fielder Jesus Martinez gave the Cardinals a 4-2 lead.

After that inning, Thomas Landis relieved Burger and retired seven of the first eight batters he faced.

But he then walked Angelo Rodriguez and gave up a double to Cadieux. Another base-on-balls to Perigos loaded the bases.

Ron Zimmermann hit what appeared to be an easy grounder to third, but Carlos Peña let the ball roll through his legs for another run.

Imboden followed with an RBI-single, extending his team's lead to 6-2.

Beyeler was done after seven innings, and coach John Baum brought on reliever Imboden.

He struck out Jesus Martinez to start the eighth, and got Bryan Shemley to hit into an unfortunate 8-4 fielder's choice, but back-to-back singles by Patrick Zöllig and pinch-hitter Yonimiler Martinez, and Saentis Zeller's two-run double made the day for Imboden.

Severin Fries was summoned to put out the fire, which he did by getting Landis to pop out to right for the final out of the inning.

The Cardinals got both runs back on Fries' RBI-single and Beyeler's sac fly, giving Fries a big enough cushion to put away the game.

He did that by retiring the three batters he faced in the ninth inning.

Game notes
Zeller hit two doubles in a game for the first time since July 28, 2007 against the Embrach Rainbows.